Kanu accuses army of harassment, says ‘Buratai and his men bringing war to us’

Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has accused the Nigerian army of “bringing war” to him and his supporters.

Kanu was reacting to the alleged invasion of his residence in Abia by the army on Sunday which resulted in a mild clash between his supporters and the troops.

Although the army had accused IPOB members of confronting them during their patrol in Kanu’s village, the IPOB leader accused the army of coming “to intimidate and harass innocent civilians”.

He also said they intended to ransack his family home.

“I inquired to know what is happening after the siren of the military van woke me from my sleep. I was told that the army was coming to my house. I looked through the window of my bedroom towards the junction which is less than a 100km from here (his home). I saw their armored personnel carrier which drove past my house, turned around and came back,” he said.

“They started firing at people who were asking why they came to harass people who have done nothing to warrant such humiliation. They started firing indiscriminately.

“I was told there were casualties, I saw two people who were bleeding profusely. As it is the tradition of the Nigerian army, to carry the bodies of victims away, we prevented them from coming here to take the injured people.”

He accused the Nigerian army and police of “perfecting the art of lying,” adding that Nigeria is “a dictatorship state where people are been pursued into their bedrooms and attacked”.

He said IPOB will not resort to any violent means in their quest for the sovereign state of Biafra.

“We are not fighting anybody and will remain peaceful people. Buratai and his men are bringing war to us,” he added.